Safety lock



vJuly 17, 192s.

H. N. CARRAGHER SAFETY LOCK Filed Nov. 23, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 2 M amr/kada Q9 his orecg July 17, 1928.

' 1,677,617 H. N. CARRAGHER SAFETY LOCK Filed Nov. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet Maf Patented July 17, 1928. Y

y g 1,677,612; UNITED s1-#Aires en TENT OFFICE.

" HENRY N. inhumana, or nu.. given, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY infix.v

pplcation VVfiled'N'ovelfnlier' 2.3, 1927. Serial No. 235,258.

My invention relates kto means for secur-l ing the steering Wheel tov the steering post,

of a Vehicle Without Vthe use of'keys, the-coinbinati'ons of which are lirnitedfonlyv by the number of sections employed' and the number ot teeth inthe operatingdiscs within the saine. Y f

It vis tiobe understoodl that my invention is of Vbroad z'tpplicationv and may, for example, be embraced in a door lock. 1

In the drawings illustrating the principle bolt; n

F 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5, Fig. 3;

Fig'. Fig. 3;'

Fifi. 7 F ig. 3; Y 1 f Fig. 8 is a cross-section, with'di'sc and actuating pawl of Fig. 7 removed;

6 is a cross-'section `on line v6---6,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-seetion on line 9 9, Fig. 3. showing the bolt and disc of one unit in position to be unlocked;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section', like Fig. 9, except-part -of the manipulating plate is broken away to sho'w more clearly 4 the disc, here 'pictured in locking engagement Wi'tl'ithe lock bolt, and not engaged by the locking dog; -Y

Fig. 1l is an enlarged C'ross-sectifniv of one unit 'of the locking mechanism;

Fig. l2 is like Figi.y 5, with t-wi'stiii'g'loek ing handle added; f

Fiel?) is a section in plan, showing' means for holdingV the locking-bo`lt in unlocked position: Y

14 is a diagrammatic View, partly' in section.` showing a Way of .applying my rvin-V yention to a door, opening ino'r out, they combination lock beingopera-t'ed from the' outside of the door, While thedoor bolt may 6E bie moved back or i'eleased from the inside Without. disturbin the combination;

the liousingubeing Y` Fig. Il isn side' elevation of the lockingis a cross section on line`77,-

' @toothed eircumferenee,rthe teethil beginning at distaneejfromufsloti12 through f Fig. '15 shows, plan, the normal shape of the unlocked housing;

Fig.; 1'6f is an enlarged cross=seetional view showinggtlie snap-lock for. locking. and unf Llocking thGhOUSHg, t0 and from its base` on the. steering P0515, f l f.

This'device :may be. said to be inade up of a lockingi-bolt'.4, Figs. 2,3', tand 5, one orV more combination discs.' 51, (6", 7, 8', F ig?.r 3,- andvv mechanism for voperating 'each' of the discs and 'the bolt, to lock andk unlock the steeringlwheel; each 'discvandf its",operatingl mechanism constituting 'what Ymay be called a unit. i

The discs 5,6, 7, 8 -areof uniforl'nk size, and are mounted upon: a` central shaft 9 eX'- tendiingf through .frame plates or' partition walls l() adjacent to eachidisc, andl form for it, and'its 'operating mechanism, a separate section. f

As. these `ui'iits are identical in' structure, Y

only .one kof four manipulating members, A,

BL, C, D, is particularly illustrated and de-V i scribedv liereimvnamely, that which has' a manipulating inetnbe A;

Each disc, -for example dise 5, has a Thede-.vice is positioned on, and attached. to,.'a base l secured tol the stering'post 2' of an atomobilga metallic vhousing 3 enyclosing-the device.

wh-@hthe locking-bolt epesses,- equal to the distance of one vtooth'frf'nnthe other, and

extending ut-leaskttive-thirds around -the circumference of the dise; ornev portion, 13, say

onetlird ,of the circumference, being le-fty equally spaeed near thftetli, one" for each tooth', lthe seeiet of the combination mechanism, which may be arranged by place* ing, in afinanner' atr'te be described, a pin 15in'y a certain one of these holes, und provid ing anahutlneiit 1G on thef'opposite wall ,to be' engaged by the nin-15-toli1nit the' back` wurd movement lof each dise, brought about. by a sp-ringl'', lsecured to the disc and to the tiori'gwheri the dise is released, as'will hereinaftei be' pointed ont. Here* the abutment 16, Figig, the axis' of the central sha-ft 9,A

andthe Mening-bolt 4. are inthe' saine ver tical plane, and when the bolt 4 and slot 12,

Fig. 9, are in alignment the hole adjacent` to the abutment 16Y is markedO, the nekt 1, the next 2, and soon; andthe'pn 15 is placed in the hole whose number corresponds to that of-the secret combination, say 3. i

The locking-bolt yis slidable through these slots 12 in the discs and openings in the partition walls. It has slots 18, Fig. 4, along its under side in which the discs mayturn; and a shank 19 upon which a double cam 20, Figs. 3. 6, 12, 13, freely turns; one cam 20 to turn and unlock a snap lock, later to be described, for the housing; and the other cam 21 employed in releasing the discs. Lock slots 22, 23, Fig. 2,`are provided in base 1 on the steering post 2 and steering wheel 2a, into which, when in alignment, the locking-bolt 4 may be longitudinally moved into locking position. f

The manipulating member, say A, for moving its respective disc 5 into unlocking position for the bolt 4, has an actuating pawl 24, Figs. 7 and 9, with an operating spring 25, an abutment 26 to limit the motion ofthe pawl, and a pin 27 to which one end of a spring 28 is attachechto restore the manipulating member A to normal position; the forward end of the member having a cam 29 to engage a ypin3() on a ldistance holder 3l and cause it, against the action'of al spring 32, to disengage al groove 33 in a dog 34, thus permitting the dog to engage the teeth 11 on the circumference of the disc 5 during its locking movement. The distance holder rotates on a pin35 in the partition wall, the free end of the holder resting againstA the bottom surface of the dog 34, Fig. v9 vwhen the dog engages the teeth# groove into which, when in propel' position, it is fo 1ced by 'a spring.

The Adogs provided to hold their respective discs in operative position are rotatably mounted upon a shaft 36, as are finger members 37, for releasing the dogs. rlhese release linger members have extended cam surface arms 38, Fig. 12, operated by cam 21 to canse the free ends of the lingers to press down upon the dogs 34, Figs. 6, 9, 10 and 12, and compel them to move against their springs 39 and away from their, respective discs;- v

rlhe double cain 'member 20, Figs. 6, 12 andV 13, rotates freely on the spindle 19 of the locking-bolt, and is operated by an interlocking and twisting member 40, Fig. 13,

rotatably secured to the spindle. A platev 41, Figs'. 12, 13, secured to thewall of the -outer end compartment has a guiding flange 42 along which the double cam member 20, on the locking-bolt, is moved in and out of position; said flange having a locking shoulder 43 with which said cam member is pulled into engagement by a spring.

in the following manner:

sumed that the secret. combination of the lock is to be 3-4-1*2; that is, the ma-v nipulator A must be reciprocated three times, the manipulator Bmust be reciprocated four times; the manipulator C must be recipi'ocated once; and the manipulator D must lie reciprocated twice.

That this may happen, the pin 15 is placed in hole 3 in disc 5; a pin is placed in hole 4 in disc B, not shown; a pinfis placed in hole 1 in disc C, not..` shown; and a pin is placed in hole r2f in disc D, not shown. After the' above manipulators are operated, the locking bolt and its respective slots in -tlie discs are in alignment. as appears in. Fig. 9, and an outward pull on the handle 40, Fi 2, 3, 13, will cause the locking end of the bolt lto move ont of the slot 23, Fig. 2, in the steering wheel and release it; and

-an inward movement will lock the wheel.`

To lock the wheel and post, the wheel befing nnlocln-ail, the slot in the wheel is moved into line with the bolt, the handle 40, Fig. 2, twisted to the right, disengaging the cam 9" memberA 2O with the shoulder 43.v rlhe bolt 7.4 is moved longitudinally inwardly into engagement with the slot in the wheel, Fig. 2.

`'lhelhandle is again moved to the right, 4

turning with it on the bolt spindle 19, the 10.0

the engagement of their pins, as 15, with the abutments, aslfyonthe partition walls; the discs being free to lturn in the lock slots 18 in `the bottom ofthe bolt until the solid port-ions of the-discs are ini position to prevent any longitudinal movement of the bolt. U5

But upon the` release-ofthe discsV by the dogs moving back against the pressure of their springs, the point 'of each distance holder 31, pivoted at 35, is forced by the spring 32 up'intoengagement with the 120 groove '33 in'tlie dog, thereby holding the `dog out of engagement with the disc, which,

being under the strain-of the spring 17, re-

`turns to normal positionv as already` eXf pla-ined, rlhe wheel and post are ,now locked together. i Y YTo unlock them, the'parts cordiiig to the combination Manipulator A, Fig. 10, is pushed in rammen V.2112movingeback?*one tooth and Aengaging it.2 A se'condand 'a third push are'given this'.manipulator;` andi'the disc, `dog and springs' repeat the abovel` operation,V but it will be seen that the-distancefmember 31, 'Figf 9^, does'not engagey the dog, and that the disc has beenl moved soithatiitsboltslot, `fand the lock bolt,E are in'lineyandbutifor the flockedpositionl of the other :three vdiscs `yand bolt, the bolt could belwith'drawnffrom the look slot in the steeringr Wheel.v v Y yThecombination requires, nextfjthat the manipulator- Bvlon'theiopposite side ofI the Yfdisc-shaft 9 be operated four: times. This is doneby pushing the manipulator B and allowing` it toV bereturned' to `normal :posi- L-ftion by? its spring :four times. i The parts in 3U=this section'are identical with thoseof the 'irst section,exceptlthe 'pin oi' this second disc is placed in the hole marked 4,bu-t-not if shown(l Theconsequence-isthat 'four pushes andvretujrns of'tlns manipulator B leave the look slot oit' its disc, in line with ltheboltfand otter' lno -obstacle toV the longitudinali movenment of theloclr'bolt. Y

ALllVhat has?` been. 'said of `theffirst and f second man-ipulators applies to f the third and; the 40 fourth manipulators Gand VD; remembering that: manipulator Cfhas its pinj -placed in hole 1 of its dise. vandrmanipulator Df has v:its pin infthehole 2* otite-disc. i By'pressing -manipulator Conce, and-then manipulator D twice, the slots iin their-respective discs'are Yalso'inv lineiwith the bolt,' which isinowY freev toi be moved out of engagement with the slot in the steering wheel.

-Thatait 'may be so f1n'oved"the:pull,and

.50 -twisting handle 40, #Figa 2,v on thexposed fendof vt-heloeltbolt, is grasped Jand` pulled outwardly, thereby funlock-ing the wheehand at* the samev time', permit-ting)theV spring ,44, Fig. 13, to `draw t 'the` loam 'member '20'I into engagement with'the lock-ing shoulder 43 which therebyholds the; bolt in .unlocked polsition lferas long' a-periodtofl timer as ,may 4be required. f Y Y c Tofl'oolz: the fwheelftof therxp'ostfto repeat '6" thezdescription-the slot-[inf the iwheel'fis moved intov line with the; bolt-4, Fig. 2, the handle 40 is'moved,` to 'fthe right, .disengagying the camv Ymember #from V'the shoulder, land A tlie-bolt .is-.movedglongitudinally inwardly ,651 intoiengag'einent fwit-h the slot,= ini the Vvwheel.

f Th-muda .is ,.fagain .moved t0V the Laghi, 1tucrning'with it, onfthe'spidle Vof thebolt, the cam-member 21,'Figf12ytheficam 21 of V:vvhiclniixr they manner 'already explained,y eni i gagingfthe 'camfsurfacesBS of the unlocking Figi-10, tomovethe release vdogs 34s out of f engagement with the discs; thereby allowing y them 'to return` to locked position, andfcausingithe endportions of the distancemenbers 31 to `enterthe grooves 33 inthe end portions of -thefdogs and hold 'et-hem l -insuch yposition `untiltheff'manipulators are" again operated vto unlockthe steering wheel and post.V

:lockv fma'yfbef easilyattained; as lfor the purfpo'se ofwchan'ging the combination, thevhousing3,-Fi'gf. 15 general plan, may,'w hen 'not-locked to itsbase 1, be said to be V- '.ishaped, lthatff'portionl lfzbeing adjacent to Ithe? steering-post 2, forming af spring tending Iniorderthat access tothe details 'of-,the

l"to hold `thehousingin-that shape; the-ady i jacentitopfand front edges ofthe housing/beuinganged at 3. i

fh/Cut in :theopposite sides of the-base, is la lock channel 62. adapted to-receive pins 63, on the:` :inside Aofv thef bottom 4 portion of lthe --housingywhen-fthe sides of-fthe latter are pressed togetherl andwassume -theI closed posiftioinasiappears;say, 1n-F31gs;-2,3, 5, 9,10,"y

l.13,a'nd 16; said-sides being held-closed-by ya snap-lock l64e, reference-:being 1- had; particu- Alarlyfto'FiI i316. Y .f Arhook-iapedf lookingfblade 6,5l is pivoted .at its fcentral portion 66, Ito theginsid'e-l of the ,.front facet? of the housing;- the shank 68 not the-hook; having a-flook-slot 69fin-its free lin) . end-portion,ytoengage 'laf'flock-pin 7() on the I f-'inside ofthe otherl'r'ront ffacrc 71 off-the hous- `Aing;v While-the;hookfportion T20-t the blade i f-hasya cam surface73fwhichmay be engaged by one arm 20 of the double cam 20,' movgableg onthefvspindle 19 of locking bolt 4,

already. described.v y y IAwtension-spring T4-tends to hold the -y lockingblade 165 against an-abutment 75 on Lthe*inside-fierce;otthenhousing, i. e; in posi- *tionto eause -thellock-slot 69 in the blade,v to snap over and Vengage the pin 70'; and lock the housing;securely1 to. theebase 1,: and` the 'steering-posti f Y It will be'noted,see Fig. 2,that whenfthe locking, boltV 4-is in engagement with the Ysteering]oost,w:and the twisting lmember 40A,

nis/turned to-operate-the cam 21, Figs.r 6 and Y12, ltooaufse the finger-:members.37v to release ylio -the dOgSfBt; ytoxrelease the discs- 5, 6, 7,78, V the double-cam 20 is 'not ,in -thevertical plane double cam 2O in position to operate the blade 65: in other words, the unlocking cam 20 for the housing 3 can engage and operate the snap-lock 64 only while the'combination lock is unlocked, and lthe cam" andV the snap-lock are in the same vertical plane. Assuming now that the housing 3 1s locked v to the base 1, 'and that the bolt 4 has been moved into engagement with the locking shoulder 4?. then. to unlock the housing from its base, screw-buttons on'the free ends of the manipulating members A, B, C and D are removed, and the twisting member 40, Figs. 13 and 16, is turned to the right, bringing the cam ot' the double cam 2O into engagement with the cam surface 73 of the hook 72, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby lifting the shank68 oi' the blade and its lock-slot out of engagement with the locking-pin 70;

'the spring rear portion 61 ot the housing causing its front end-portions 67, 71, to spring apart, carrying the pins 63 and the housing 3 away from the lock-channels 62 inthe base 1, and freeing the housing for removal; access to the combination details is thus obtained.

To lockv t-he housing to the base 1, `the l former is so placed that by pressingl the sides together, the free end-portions o'l:- the manipulating members A, B, C, and D pass through their respective holes in the housing, the pins 63 are moved into the lock channels 62 in the base 1; at the same time, the cam-surface 76 on the tree end of the shank 68, engaging-the pin 70, against the tension of the coil-spring 74, which causes the lock-slot 69 in the shank to hook over the pin 70, when the housing has become entirely vclosed and together; the double cam inside oit a` door 50. and the discs, manipulators, etc. are all operated in the same direction, that is, from the outside of the door,

. by manipulators A', B, C', D', which protrude therethrough. A push-rod X, operatively connected to the cam, as 21, Fig. 12, is used for the purpose et moving the linger members 38, to disengage the dogs 34 from their respective discs and allow the latter to be restored to locking position, in the slots in the bolt, as 4, Fig. 14.

rlhat this bolt may be moved, after the combination has beencarried out, an knob 51, on the outside-ofthe door, is :connected with a lever 52, in engagement with the bolt. Onv the free end -portion of the bolt is mounted a sleeved bolt head 53 to engage a suitable slot 54 in the door frame; a spiral spring 55 always tending to move the-bolt head away trom the lock bolt. This sleeved head has a longitudinal guide slot 56 insliding engagement with a `guide pin 57 in the holt; and a 'linger pull 58. on the inside of the door. i

To open the locked door, the manipulators A, R', C, D, 'are operated to correspond to the secret combination. YThe bolt 4 now being slidable in the slots in the discs,

the l-nob 51 is moved to the right, the bolt Vand bolt head 5S respond, and the door becomesy unlocked and may be opened.

To lock the door, shutit, and push the knob X, thereby releasing the discs which .snap into the bolt slots and lock the bolt,

the door trame,'thus freeing the door to be` opened. V f

By means ot my invention, I do away with keys necessarily used in other locking structures, to guard against theft, the numlou ber of movements of each of the manipulatl ing members being necessarily known to the operator before the device can be operated and the locking-bolt removed from locked position. This application-is a. continuation inpa'rt of application Serial No. 155,210, tiled by me, Dec. 16, 1926, wherein the snap-lock for the housing of the safety lock was mentioned and claimed in combination.

kDesiring to protect my invention in the broadest, manner legally possible, what I claim is:

1. In a keyless combination lock, a springl operated disc with teeth along its circumference; a spring-operated dog to engage Vsaid teeth, said dog being pivoted, and havmg 1n 1ts fre-e end-portion a holding slot;

plate, normally operated in one direction,

and a spring to move it in an opposite direction, said plate having a pawl to engage and disengage said teeth and actuate said disc, and a cam-surface in engagement with fsaid pin in said distance-holder to cause said holder to disengagel said slot and permit Mil) said dog to lpass by said I nember tovengage Vsaifdteeth `on said d isc;*and means to cause allow the spring of said .disc to move saidv disc. l y d 2,111 a keyless combination lock, for vehicles and doors, having 'a lock-bolt, azrotatable disc; a lspring tending to i'es'toreit to normal position; said disc--havingfa series of teeth along the greater part of 'its circum'ereiice, and a lock-slot?V in Which the lock-boltmay lbe reciprocated'; and said lockbolt having a lock-slot in which said disc Y may be moved to hold the bolt in looked position; a spring-operated dog to engage said teeth, said dog being pivoted, and having in its tree end-portion a. holding-slot; a spring-operated distancaholder, pivoted at end and having apin in its lree end-portion, said portion normally to engage said groove in said dog, and hold said dog out of en` gageinent with said teeth; aslidable plate manually operated in one direction,'an d a spring to move it in an opposite direction, said plate having a pavvl to engage and disengage said teeth and actuate 'said disc, and a cam-Surface in engagement with said pin in said distance-holder to cause said holder to disengage said slot and permit Said dog to pass by said holder to engage saidV a snap-lock Within said housingto lock the teeth on said disc; means to cause 'said dog, against the action of its spring, to disengage said teeth, the free end-portion ot' said dog engaging the free end-portion of said distance holder, forcing it down, and

passing by it, so that the tree end-portionl of the distance-holder may, by the action of its spring, engage said groove in said dog and hold said dog free from said teeth, and

allow the spring of said disc to move said,`

disc intolocking engagement with the lockslot in the lock bolt. t t

3. In a keyless combination loclnffor vehicles and doors, having a lock-bolt provided With a lookin slot; a spring-operated disc With a series et teeth along its circumference; and having a series of holes adjacent to said teeth; al pin that may be inserted into any one of thesefholes; a fixed abutment for Said pin to engage and limit the return movement of the disc to normal position; said disc having an opening in which said bolt may be moved; a dog to hold said disc in position; a distance-holder to hold said dog free of the teeth of the disc, when the bolt is in locked position; a manually operated member having an actuating pavvl to move the disc, and a beveled edge jslot, and secure the Ikmovement.'-V f j L VAl keyless combination lock, for vehi'cles and'doors, having a look-bolt; a. ro-

lease `the dog, :and allov'v it to engage the "teeth-of. thejdis'c; :a'finger-l-ile member to ,operate the dogho'ldingthe "disc, to forcel the dog fromA the tooth engagedy and permit ,the 'distance-holder to` spring fin-tol yeiiga'gement With thedog,'ajnd permit ythe disc "to reverse its niotionf, .more into vthe"lockingbolt iiroin longitudinal A,

tatfilefdisqa spring 'tending ,to restore it cumference, yand a` llock-slot in which the Ylock-bolt'may be iecip'rocated; said look-bolt manually operated means to operate said disc; a dog to hold the discin operative position; a iingenlikeimember to operate thedog holding the disc; a distance-holder;

-a cam freely mounted on theffree end-portion'of the bolt; a pulling and twisting Nto,normal'positifon; said'disc having series i, of teetlifa'loi'ig th'egreater part ot' itscirV member operatively secured to-s'a-id cam to operate the finger member lvvhen the bolt Vis in locked position, to cause the dog to release the disc and permit the distance-liolder 'to engage the dog and allow the disc to return to normalposition, thereby engaging the lock-slot in the bolt and securely preventing any longitudinal movemeiit of ythe bolt. l 5. A keyless combination lock, for vehicles and doors, having an openable and closable housing 'to enclose said combination lock;

' lock-bolt having a lock-slot in which said disc may be moved to hold the bolt in locked ics l position; manually operated means to oper- 1 ate said disc; a dog to hold the disc inoperative position; a finger-like member toA opei'- ate the dog holding the disc; a distanceholder; a double cam freely mounted on the free end-portion of the bolt; a pulling and twisting member outside said housing and operatively secured to said cam; one of said hicles and doors, having an openahle and c losa-hle housing to enclose said combination lock; a snap lock Within the housing to lock the housing When closed; a lock bolt; a rotatable disc; a spring tendingto restore it to normal position; said disc having a series of teeth along the greater part of its oircumterence, and a. lock slot in which the bolt may be reciprocated; and saidl lockbolt having` aV lock slot in Which Said'disc may be moved to hold the holt in locked position; manually operated means to operate said disc; a springdevice to engage and to hold the disc in operative position; mechanism to release. said device to engage and hold said disc in operative position; means to move and hold said device out of engagement With said disc. and permit the .dise to return 'to normal position; a cam member freely mountedon the free end portion of the holt, a pullingand twisting member outside of the housing and operatively 'secured to said cam member, whereby, When pulled outwardly and twisted in one direction, said cam member will operate and unlockthe Vsnap-lock in thehousing when the bolt'is in unlocked position; and When twisted in the other direction when the holt is in locked position, will operate said release mechanism and cause said device to release said dise and thereby permit the disc to engage the lock slot in thev holt and securely prevent any longitudinal unlocking movement of the lock loolt.

In testimony vwhereof I hereunto ailix my Y Signature,

HENRY N. CARRAGHER 

